Textile package formation



p 1957 A. MCLEAN SAUM ETAL 2,805,765

TEXTILE PACKAGE FORMATION Filed June 13, 1951 INVENTOR$:.

lJARTHUR MLLEAN SAUM CLARENCE EDWINMILLEE B an'dRQBERT {ED-WIN McDONALD 9%. 727% ATTORNEY TEXTILE PACKAGE FORMATION Arthur McLean Saum, Waynesboro, Va., and Clarence Edwin Miller, Wilmington, Del., and Robert Edwin McDonald, Waynesboro, Va., assignors I du Pont de Nernours & Company, Wilmington, Deb, a corporation of Delaware Application June 13, 1951, erial No. 231,328

4 Claims. (Cl. 203-4510) This invention relates to apparatus for handling a running length of yarn or tow composed of a plurality of yarns. It relates in particular to a means for handling running lengths of yarn at'high speed to form large packages from which the lenghtsv are readily removed and rewound.

In the handling of yarns on the run difiiculty is usually encountered by yarn breakage, wrap formation, tension variation and the like. When a large number of yarn ends are being run simultaneously, these ditficulties must be avoided. The avoidance is particularly important in processing a tow composed of a large numberof filaments or yarn ends.

An object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for feeding a traveling yarn to a position at which a package is to be formed. Another object is the provision of apparatus which will throw the yarn or tow into a container. A still further object is the provision of apparatus for eifecting wrap-free consolidated discharge of a tow into a random package. Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The accomplishment of these objectives can be see-n by reference to the figures given for illustrative purposes only and to the discussion below.

In the figures, Figure 1 is a front view, and

Figure 2 is an end view of the apparatus of this invention.

As can be seen the objects of this invention are attained by running the yarn end or plurality of ends preferably through a guide and then to a nip formed by two endless belts running in close proximity. The belts preferably run at substantially the same speed and the driving means of each belt are so located to form a passageway for said yarn ends to the nip. Press or squeeze rolls are located to keep the belts in close proximity throughout the nip area so that the yarn ends or tow are gripped by the moving belts and carried with them. At the exit end, one belt is made to pass away from the other which other belt then continues in its normal path carrying the yarn with it. At the place of return of this belt is a roller, normally an idle roller, which is preferably of a small size. By this provision centrifugal force is attained to throw the yarn from the belt thereby preventing it from following the belt.- Below this exit is a traverse guide which moves in two directions at right angles to each other with a straight line motion in each direction. A container is provided below this guide to receive the yarn or tow.

In the figures there are two endless belts designated 1 and 2, which are mounted to be in close proximity and form a nip of some length during a part of their respective travel. Belt 1 is mounted on rollers 3 and 4, being driven by roller 3. Belt 2 is similarly mounted on rollers 5 and 6, being driven by roller 5. These belts are made to contact or almost contact each other by the placement of these rolls and by the use of idle rollers 7 and 8 over which belt 1 runs and idle rollers 9 and 10 United States Patent() over which belt 2 runs. As can be seen in Figure 1, the belts run so that a nip is formed near the top at 11 and extends to where belt 2 is made to travel away from belt 1 by roller 6. Thetwo belts are then in close proximity between 11 and 12. I I

The yarn end, tow or rope 13 is fed from a source (not shown) over roller 14 to and through a false twister guide 15. It then passes into the nip ofgthe belts and is carried by belts 1 and 2 from 11 to nip 12 and after riding on belt 1 to roller 4 it is thrown off the belt into a traverse guide 16 which is an oscillating funnel or boot. Under this guide 16 is a can. or container 17 in which the tow 13 is deposited. The lay-down of the tow is uniform and dependable and {easy backwinding is readily obtained. Upon filling a can, which can be of any desired capacity, the tow is cut and the can is removed either manually or mechanically and an empty container is placed under the guide 16.

The belts used in the apparatus ofv this invention can be knit cotton endless tubing, rubber-impregnated cotton belts, leather belts, etc. Usually the belt is about six inches Wide and to A2 inch thick. The choice of belt materials and, dimensions will, of course, depend in part on the objects being process-ed, speeds, finishes being used and the like.

For best results, the two belts are run at the same surface speed. By so doingexcessive'belt wear is avoided. While there are a number of'ways' to get equal surface speeds, it is preferred to gear rollers 3 and 5 together sothat they are driven from the same drive shaft 17. Rollers 3 and 5 are of the same or substantially the same diameter, the diameters being preferably within 0.001 inch. While it is possible to letone belt drive the other, the gearing together of the rollers 3 and 5 is preferred.

As shown in the figures, the rollers drivingiand/or carrying the belt are mounted 'on a plate 18. Such mounting permits the determination of the arrangement best suited for the prevailing conditions. Rollers 7 and 9 are usually rubber covered rolls acting as squeeze rolls. These assure positive tow gripping and there is practically zero 'angularity o'f the beltszaround these rolls or other belt supporting rolls located in the nip area, such as rolls 8 and 10. The vertical length of belt 1 below the last consolidating roll 10 affords a steady, vertical discharge of the tow from the belts. This length need not be perfectly vertical and in fact roller 4 may be situated like roller 6 so that both belts move away from each other. While the apparatus may be used in horizontal and in tilted positions, the position shown in Figure 1 is preferred, for it affords smoother delivery. Similarly, the length of the nip between points 11 and 12 is not critical. The length is finite so that sufficient positive gripping of the tow is afforded and so that roll wraps are avoided. The length of the nip will, then, depend on the yarn ends being processed, their state of dryness, etc.

The drive rolls may be of any desired diameter, but for most purposes a diameter of about five inches is satisfactory. This diameter reduces rotative speed. The bottom roll 4 is smaller in diameter, usually about three inches, to promote high centrifugal forces on the tow to reduce the tendency of the tow to follow the belt 1.

When a plurality of yarn ends are being processed to form a tow, it is preferred to use the false twister guide 15. For example, when a 100,000 denier tow was running a consolidation from a tow width of 1.5 inches to about inch was accomplished.

The traverse guide 16 can be constructed of any material desired. Usually chromium plated steel is used that has no burrs or rough edges on the internal surfaces. For most purposes a boot of about 2 feet 8 inches long is satisfactory, the upper diameter being about 8 inches "and the"1ower" dian1et'erbe'ing about'2 inches and the thickness -oithewall beingaiabout fiiinch. The'seboo'ts are mountedin gimbals below the belts so that the guide is free tomove in any direction and is readily removed.

f' The 't'r'aver'segttide isilt'i'aver'sed 'intwo directions. .One

other than straight line motions can'be used ifdesired.

The ratein strokes'*per"'minute infth'ese "directions "will,

of course,;be*adjustd tothe processing speed and the desired rate-of fillinga'ca'n;

In opei'ation, a -tow from'a spinningmachine is-passed 4 over a. liquid applicator (not shown) --which may be simplicator a short distance' away andare then passed through i i the guide'115 and fro'mthere 'to the nip as describedabove. After leaving the belt l the tow-is passed through the iunnel guide 16 -which distribhtes the tow in" a uniform package'in 'the'reeeptacle beneath the boot. The two i directional'traverse features of the'guidelfi eliminate the necessity for rotating or traversing the take-up can "17. The apparatus of this: invention may be used for low denier yarns'as for'exarnple' 680 denier-yarns and smaller. It" has particular utility in the high speed packaging of '2 heavy deniertows. 1'

Thei-apparatus of this invention is useful in handling 1 running "yarn ends or-"tows of any material synthetic or *natural. :It is. particularly useful in staple production. The rectangular shaped packages formed in the cans are readilytransferredeitherwithina-given area or to a :point removed or fthe yarn therein is converted-into staiplefor'filrflierprocessing.

Any departure from-the abovedescription which conforms to the present invention'is intended to be included Within the scope of'the'claims.

*We claim:

1. c apparatuseadapted tohandle running lengths of yarn and tow which are capable of being charged by static "ele'c'tricity"which comprises two narrow smooth endless belts adapted to travel rapidly at equal speeds and having vertical sections in contiguous relation to form a means for gripping the yarn or tow lightly and advancing it, driving means forf-the said belts, a pair of oppositely disposed squeeze rolls located to formv a V shaped entrance'passageway'for the yarn to the gripping and advancing sections of the said belts, and means fordeflecting a portion of one of the said belts out of its normal path at the exit end-and beyond the gripping section, the other belt being positionedrin its normal straight vertical path and out of contact with the said deflected portion, whereby the material beinghandled is delivered downwardly and away from both belts without tension other than gravity.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which a guide for the yarn or tow is positioned immediately before the said V- 'shaped-entrance passageway.

3.'The:apparatusof'claim 1 in which an oscillatable funnel'is' disposed at the exitend of the belts into which the yarn or tow isdelivered.

-4. Theapparatus ofi claim 1 in which. both belts are driven by the same driving means.

"References Cited inthe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,156,210 Clark Oct. 12, 1915 1,172,888 Hill et a1. Feb. 22, 1916 1,238,952 'Stelzner Sept. 4, 1917 1,561,063 Dunlap Nov. 10, 1925 1,633,960 Staege June 28, 1927 1,642,178 Schorsch 2. Sept. 13, 1927 1,858,945 Thierfelder May 17, 1932 2,304,885 Cobb Dec. 15, 1942 2,325,200 Young July 27, 1943 2,390,572 DelBrabander Dec. 11, 1945 2,534,459 Lawson Dec. 19, 1950 2,585,424 Balthrop Feb. 12, 1952 "2,690,628 Courtney Oct. 5, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 341,328 Germany Sept. 29, 1921 359,837 Great Bn'tian Oct. 29, 1931 

